6th Undergraduate Research Symposium - 2024
The annual Undergraduate Research Symposium (URS) at the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, University of Jaffna, stands as a platform for the academic development of undergraduates pursuing B.Sc (Hons.) in Nursing, B.Pharm (Hons.), and B.Sc (Hons.) in Medical Laboratory Sciences. This symposium provides an opportunity for the undergraduates to publish their research findings and enhance their research presentation skills. The URS 2024 is planned as the 6th Undergraduate symposium to enable the 13th Batch students to present their undergraduate research abstract.
Please click here to download the proceeding of the URS – 2024
The 6th Undergraduate Research Symposium is organized by the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences (FAHS), University of Jaffna under the theme of ‘Optimal Health to Enjoy the Longevity”. This symposium is one of the good platforms for undergraduates of the FAHS to showcase their research works to the scientific community and gain experiences. There were 21 abstracts from the students of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Nursing and Pharmacy submitted to this symposium. All the abstracts were subjected to a blind review process by experts in relevant fields and accepted for the symposium in a revised format. This review process ensured the standard of the abstracts published in the symposium.
The editorial team would like to thank the authors who have submitted their research findings to this symposium as well as the reviewers who supported this symposium. Furthermore, as an editor, I appreciate everyone who provided their valuable inputs and suggestions to make this symposium proceedings at a maximum scientific standard level.
Dr. Rasaratnam Karunaithas
Editor, 6th Undergraduate Research Symposium,
Faculty of Allied Health Sciences,
University of Jaffna.
Empower Healthy Aging with Health Literacy
While living longer than ever is a reality, living longer in a good health still remains a challenge. Because of the growing number of elderly population worldwide and particularly Sri Lanka, being the fastest aging country in South Asia, health care (HC) professionals increasingly confront providing HC services to vulnerable client groups, such as older people, persons with lower socioeconomic status, and with chronic illnesses. These client groups typically show decreased knowledge and motivation to access, understand, and apply health information for taking decisions concerning their own health – a state defined as Health Literacy (HL). Limited HL levels vary between 25-75% worldwide. Inadequate HL is linked to reduced usage of health care services, increased morbidity and mortality, and higher health care costs. Persons with limited HL require individual therapeutic and communication approach from their HC providers. To respond this demand, HC professionals need to acquire solid HL competencies during their higher education. The HL contents currently offered in the most HC study programs, are insufficient to provide high quality care adequately to persons with limited HL.
Therefore, in the HELPE project we developed a HL educational program which promotes the HL competencies HC students. The methodology was based on scoping review and co-creation design including focus groups and teaching/ learning activities with the key stakeholders. Main results include: HL competency framework to ensure high standard scientific background for the teaching contents and six educational courses. The HL contents offer flexible integration in the HC curricula and are expected to increase the awareness of HL importance. The developed HL contents will be incorporated in the CAPAGE project which aims establishing sustainable innovation capacity for modernization of Sri Lankan higher and professional HC education in Healthy Aging and Geriatrics through coordinated interdisciplinary approach.
Prof. Monica Christova
Keynote Speech, 6th Undergraduate Research Symposium,
Associate Professor,
Institute of Physiotherapy,
FH Joanneum University of Applied Sciences, Austria.
Bioactive Peptides: A Novel Therapeutic Approach for Cancer
Cancer is a major healthcare problem in the world, causing one in every six deaths worldwide. The World Health Organization reported that the incidence rate of cancer is on an upward trend and is predicted to affect 35 million people in 2050. In Sri Lanka, based on the Ministry of Health report, 37,753 new cases were diagnosed in 2021, with an incidence rate of 103 new cases per day. There are various therapeutic options such as chemotherapy, radiational therapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, surgery, and stem cell transplantation available to treat different types of cancer; however, these treatment modalities are associated with various side effects, secondary cancers, and recurrence.
Bioactive peptides, small protein fragments derived from various natural sources, gained significant attention in recent years for their potential therapeutic applications, including cancer treatment. Due to their unique characteristics, these peptides offer several advantages in cancer treatment, including high specificity towards cancer cells, low toxicity to normal cells and the ability to penetrate biological barriers and target specific molecular pathways involved in tumour growth, metastasis, and angiogenesis. In this context, we also isolated and characterized an anticancer peptide VS-9 from Garlic (Allium sativum) protein hydrolysate. VS-9 exhibited anticancer potential against leukaemic cell lines K-562, MOLT-4 and NB-4 via interacting with antiapoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins. The protocol for isolating and characterizing the VS-9 peptide was patented under the Department of Intellectual Property, Thailand, in 2023.
Dr. Rasaratnam Karunaithas
Plenary Speech, 6th Undergraduate Research Symposium,
Senior Lecturer in Medical Laboratory Sciences,
Faculty of Allied Health Sciences,
University of Jaffna.
Dean/FAHS | |
Symposium Chair | |
Secretary | |
Treasurer | |
Editor | |
Committee Members | |
Student members | Ms. J. Jenny Venitia |